Tenured Law Professor Sues University Of Michigan Alleging Racial- And Gender-Based Discrimination

Michigan Daily, U-M Law Professor Sues UMich, Claims Racial- and Gender-Based Discrimination:

Laura Beny, University of Michigan Law School professor, filed a lawsuit in the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan against the University and Law School Dean Mark West on Friday, claiming race, gender, familial and marital status discrimination [Beny v. University of Michigan].

The lawsuit, which names the University, the Law School and West as defendants, asserts that Beny experienced a hostile work environment created by her co-workers and employers throughout her time at the University.

The suit claims that she encountered multiple instances of gender and race discrimination in her classroom and, upon reporting, the situations were not remediated by the University. The lawsuit references the Law School’s “lock step” payroll policy in which employees hired at the same pay rate are expected to receive equivalent raises, and the lawsuit claims that Beny was not given pay raises in lock step with a white male [John Pottow] and white female [Jill Horwitz] professor who were hired at the same salary as her. ...

The lawsuit describes several instances throughout Beny’s tenure in which she allegedly faced derogatory remarks and harassment regarding her race, gender and familial status.

Update:

• ABA Journal, Law Prof's Suit Against Law School Alleges Race and Gender Discrimination, Family Status Bias
• Bloomberg, Michigan Law Professor Alleges Race, Sex, Family Status Bias